Improvement in propelling-apparatus



To all whom 'it may concern.:`

ing motion is imparted by a steam-engincor any other with a cross-head,e or f.

Y of the propelling-chamber, and if the shaft A is reposition shown iniig. 1 to that shown in iig. 2, and

JOSEPH Fg. ALEXANDER-or New Youri, N. Y.

Letters Patent No. 97,146,

datedlvoeember 23, 1869.

rmrnovEMnNT 1N reconnues-APPARATUS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

Be it known that I, JOSEPH F. ALEXANDER, of the city, county, and Stateof New York, have invented a new and improved Undulating Propeller; andI do hereby declare the following' to be a full, clear, andA exactdescription thereof', which will enable those skilled in the art touiake'and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing,forming part of this specication, in which drawing- Figure 1 representsa longitudinal vertical section of this invention.

Figure 2 is asimilar view thereof, showing the propeller in a differentposition from the previous ligure.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

This invention consists in the arrangement of a bucket or blade, workingin -a chamber which is open at both ends, and extends inthe direction ofthe keel of the vessel to be propelled, said blade being suspended atits ends from two cranks, situated at an angle of ninety degrees to eachother, in such amanner, that by revolving the crank-shaft, anundulating' motion is imparted to said blade, whereby the water in thepropeller-chamber is displaced, and expelled either at one or the otherend of said chamber, according to the direction in which the`crank-shaft is turned,- and thereby the vessel is propelled eitherforward or backward, with comparatively little expenditure of power.

The letter Adesignatcs a shaft, to which a revolvmotor, and which hasits bearings in suitable boxes, in thev interior of the vessel to bepropelled, said shaft being placed in line with or parallel to the keelof the vessel.

On this shaft are secured two cranks B C, at-an angle of ninety degrees(or nearly so) to each other, and each of these cranks connects by arod, l) o r c,

'lhese cross-heads move in suitable slides D, and they connect, by rodsg h,1with the ends i. j of a bucket or blade, E, which is enclosed inthe propellerchamber F.

This chamber is situated below the water line, either in line with orparallel to the keel of the vessel to be' propelled, and it is open atboth ends, as shown in the drawings.

IThe edges of the blade E extend close to the sides volved, the watercontained in said chamber is displaced and forced out at one of the endsof the chamber, according to the direction in which the vessel is to bepropelled.

If the shaft is turned in the direction .of the arrow marked on it iniig. l, the blade E will movefrzom the the water contained in saidchamber' is forced out in the direction of the arrow marked in thechamber in iig. 1.

Dit the motion of the shaft continues until the end of the blade `Ereaches the top of the propellingchamber, the end j .will be broughtagain to the centre of said chamber, and the water will continue to bcdisplaced in theI direction of the arrows marked in said chamber in fig.1, and the vessel will be propelled in the direction opposite to saidarrows.

li' the motion of the shaft-A is reversed,vas indicated by thearrowmarked thereon in g. 2, the water in the chamberl F will bedisplaced in the direction of the arrows marked in said chamber in fig.2, and the motion of the vessel will be reversed.

The effect of the blade E to expel the water from the -charnber F,either in one or the other directiolnwith out interruption during itsentire motion, is due to the position of the cranks B G at rightanglesto each other.

If these cranks were placed at angles of one hundred and eighty degreesto each other, the Water, during one half of the stroke of said blade,would be exlpelled at one, and during'the other half, at the oppositeend of the chamber l", and'if the :cranks B'U were placed in the samedirectioln'the Water would be expelled from the chamber' Fsimultaneously at both ends; but by placing the cranks at an angle ofninety degrees, the blade receives an undulating motion of vsuch anaturethat the water will be continually expelled either at one or at theother end of the chamber' F.

The joints at the ends of lil and j of the blade are double, as shown,so that the blade E is free -to accommodate itself to the .positions ofthe rods g h.

It must be remarked that two or more propeller'- hlades can be appliedeither' in the sides or at the stern of one and the same vessel, andsaid blade or `bladesmightbe worked freely in the water without anychamber, and it or they can be placed either ina vertical or horizontalposition, and applied to any part v described.

JOSEPH 'F. ALEXANDER. iVitness'es:

W. HAUFF, ERNEsT F. KASTENHUBER.

